1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of coin operated (coin-op) amusement machines. In particular, the invention relates to a system and method which comprises a plurality of amusement machines (i.e., video games, flipper games, pinball machines, prize dispensing games, arcade games, electronic darts, kiddie rides, pool tables, golf games, basketball games, billiards, redemption games, soccer tables, shuffle board alleys and bowling alleys, touch-screen countertop games and the like) equipped with play components and associated means to capture multimedia information based on the performance of the players at the machines, means to transmit the multimedia information captured from the machines to a network, and a processor based machine (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) for managing and storing this multimedia information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A good number of coin-op amusement machines with means to capture data on the games and players and of connecting to a network, such as a LAN or a WAN (e.g., the Internet), are currently known.
For example, European Patent EP 697,579, to Bozkaya, discloses a dart board with means to display the result of a darts game. The board is equipped with an instant camera, which permits immediately determination the winner of a game, as a photograph is taken when the dartboard is hit or a determined score is reached and displays the photograph of the winning player.
German Patent DE-A-43 14 145 discloses a system for playing in several dart game amusement machines. In particular, the system includes slot machines, remotely installed in relation to one another, with at least two game machines installed in different places, with a bidirectional connecting line between the game machines, different disks subdivided in sectors to receive the darts, a device to record and indicate the position of the impacts on the disk and a computer to process, evaluate and transmit the data.
European Patent EP 752,089, of NSM AG, discloses a similar system, wherein a number of transmitter and receiver components, rigidly arranged outside the disk, whose connecting lines form a grid and are interlaced by a dart that hits the disk, coordinates being assigned to the grids. The values of the co-ordinates where the dart impacts are transmitted to other machines via modem and a data telecommunication line. The system is provided with a computer connected by the line to process, evaluate and transmit the data and a screen to display the results.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,349 to Miguel et al., discloses a league and tournament system which includes a centralized league machine which transmits data to one or more of a plurality of darts machines via modem or using the wireless portable data storage device. The information from the electronic darts machines can be transmitted via MODEM, by facsimile transmission or using the portable data storage device. The darts machines are configured to receive and use the information from the database on the league and tournament for a variety of purposes, including the automatic implementation of player handicaps, the automatic control of play, and recording the team and player who are using the dart machine. The machine has a monitor which displays context sensitive menus using information from the data base.
In the art there, therefore, exists the possibility that players may play games or participate in leagues in different locations, connected to one another and to a computer by telecommunications lines. In particular, the Internet or other computer network may be used to communicate, and the data and results from the games may be recorded in a computer and transmitted to the machines.
Furthermore, in the sub set of amusement machines known as video games, it is typically the system that imposes and enforces the rules. For example, video game systems are typically closed, and there is little possibility of cheating, as the system software prevents it because the entire game is played on the machine in a controlled, closed loop.
On the contrary, in amusement machines that comprise games or sports machines, such as darts, snooker, golf, basketball machines, etc., part of the action is performed independent of the machine. In these scenarios, the system is incapable of detecting all possible infringements of the game rules and regulations or possible cheating by the players outside the system control capabilities. For this and other types of amusement machines, the current systems and methods do not provide optimal systems and methods for controlling and discerning the validity of the play, or if play and players abide by the rules. This is a practical drawback when one wants to carry out global competitions in different parts of the planet. Other drawbacks also exist.